Be honest here Peas, you posted this pic to fool us all and see us going crazy debating and doing research for hours ufff! :-|
How mean of you! ;-) :P

2010-04-22 17:02:42

Thanks for that, Peasant. This insect gave us a few anxious moments. But now we know that it's not really what it appears to be. Such a shame too, because it's a very pretty creature. 'Opsala'. I like that word alot... :)

Opsala!
19 comments! I Didn't expect this.
I'm not expert for bugs, this can be a photoshoped . I really don't know. Here's author's e-mail if someone want's to contact him.
toni.roce@gmail.com
original source of the picture is:
The image was uploaded in his macro gallery.

2010-04-22 16:55:34

Was that samples of the insect Connie, or of weeds ? Either way, I think that would be fun. I love to look up about weeds and insects. I think I might of liked your job Connie, seeing that I've worked in 4 different plant nurseries... :)

2010-04-22 16:52:46

Looks like you WERE right, Jujuba. Or is it Sherlock ? :-D.....

2010-04-22 16:51:40

Well, not altogether useless. It gives you experience for next time we are faced with a dilemma such as this.. :)

The problem with photoshop and composites photos is, if they do not indicate they are that, they go out to cyberspace and become 'fact'. My 'Lisbon' photo is out in cyberspace to forever confuse folks ;-) That's why we hear folks saying 'You can't believe everything you see on the Internet.' Mind you the same can be said for all forms of media.

2010-04-22 16:08:33

Thankyou for clearing this up, Entomologist. I was having a hard time trying to find anything about this insect. I was looking at locusts, so what you said at the start of your comments makes alot of sense about this possibly being a grasshopper, amongst other things. Then I started to think that maybe that someone had played around with this photo and you have confirned that too, so my suspicions are right.
This insect's body looks like that of an earwig, because it has pincers at the bottom of it. A strange but yet beautiful photo...

The first job I ever had was working for the Chief of Agronomy, Chief of Weed Control, and sometimes for the Chief of Entomology. Farming folks would send samples to him to identify and I had to look at them....yuk ;-)

This is not a real insect, it is a composite photo.
The antennae are from the order Lepidoptera and, since they are clubbed on the end, are from a butterfly.
The wings (certainly) and body (probably) are from the order Orthoptera (an order that contains grasshoppers, crickets, cockroaches, katydids and walking sticks. I am not sure if the colors are real or not, but since other parts are digitally altered it is quite possible.
If there is any doubt about this, just look at the antennae. (1) no real insect holds its antennae out in front like this, (2) for all species in the Orthoptera the antennae are held up over the head and curved back toward the rear of the insect, (3) Orthoptera antennae are slender, pointed toward the end, and usually a lot shorter - in most cases about 1/3rd the length of the body, (4) the left antennae here is significantly longer than the right, something that simply doesn't happen in nature.
Perhaps most importantly, only one antennae is really represented here, although it is represented twice. The right and left antennae are mirror images of each other! If you doubt this, duplicate the image, flip it 180 degrees horizontal, and then reduce the opacity to 50%. Take the duplicated image and place it on to of the original then manipulate it, by rotation and move only, so that it will fit perfectly on top of the other antennae. What this means is that the antennae were digitally added to the photograph after it was taken, either via layers or some other method.
Another problem with the photo is that the hind legs cannot be seen. All Orthoptera have greatly enlarged hindwings (for hopping) that are easily seen even from above.
I looked up the photo on it's original site at hrphotocontest.com however this did not add any real useful information. The photographer calls himself Tonized, a name that is apparently based in part on his real first name, Zed. He states that the photo was taken on November 29th, 2009.
This is in the early winter when no outdoor living insects would be found in eastern Europe. I also looked at several other of Tonized's photos on the hrphotocontest site. However, I found no indication, to me, that any of them had been photo-manipulated.
But I am certain that this one has. It is a very nice photo in spite of all of this and I do look it from a photographic standpoint even when regarding it as useless from an entomological standpoint. I would think that to take a photo like this of a live insect would be nearly impossible. The insect would simply not sit still long enough to get the wings and antennae in perfect plane with the camera; especially when shooting with a wide aperature and very narrow depth of field.

The first site some guy gave as a recommendation in another site where someone was trying to identify a bug.
The second one I simply googled.

2010-04-22 09:18:22

Meant to say, really, not realy. I mean, really !!! :)

2010-04-22 09:16:41

Those are great links, Jujuba. Where did you find them ? Thanks for sharing both with us. This insect has pincers like an earwig. This is a realy baffling case, but it's fun to try and find out what it is. Thanks again, Jujuba... :)

I swear I tried everything to find the name of this species, unsuccessfuly. I´m not sure if it can be a dragonfly or a damselfly, provided the two hind wings are not veined or transparent. Also, those are not dragonfly antennae. I think it´s a mutant bug, a mix of everything :P
I took a look at these two sites, where they have a checklist and identification of insects by elimination - maybe you guys will be luckier than me...

Tnx PG..
I don't know the name of that bug. There wasn't any details about it. Maybe some of other users know the name? This bug is probably from Eastern Europe, but I'm not sure... With the name or without this still is a real beauty.

2010-04-21 20:49:59

What a very beautiful creature this is ! I love the colours on him/her. Looks like some kind of dragonfly.

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